Priceline Hotel: 4* San Francisco (Union Square East - Nob Hill) Sir Francis Drake, a Kimpton Hotel

[coachnorm22]

Brothers baseball road trip to the Bay Area.  After reviewing other posts on this board, it looks like our rates are pretty reasonable.  I have focused on Union Square East and Financial District zones due to proximity to AT&T Park as well as public transportation.  Because we leave SF the morning of 8/23, I am keeping open the option of changing hotels to the Airport zone for 8/22-8/23.  Currently, I can get USE for $147 for 8/20-8/22 or $158 for 8/20-8/23.  In the Financial District I can get 4 1/2* for $167 for 8/20-8/22 but it goes up to $197 for 8/20-8/23.  These are all Priceline Express offers.  I have tried to undercut these rates using Name Your Own Price up to $125 in Financial District with no success.  USE gets messed up on Name Your Own Price as it throws in a significant Hotel Fee ($28) so I have only bid up to $100 there.  No hotel fee on the Priceline Express for same zone.  With five weeks to go, would you recommend the "bird in the hand" or just stay patient and keep trying?  Is there a rule of thumb bid strategy to undercut Priceline Express?  Thanks in advance for your thoughtful advice. 

[thereuare]

The 'resort fee' that shows no the bidding side is a 'worst case scenario'.  PRICELINE shows the highest resort fee in the zone for the star rating that you're bidding so that you know the most that the stay will cost you on an all-in basis... if the hotel you win doesn't charge a resort fee then none would be charged by the hotel at check-out (and your total all-in would actually be less than PRICELINE showed on the bidding page)

 

Of course it's possible that the the hotel you receive is one that does charge a resort fee, but that is where PRICELINE EXPRESS can offer an advantage as you have a better sense of your maximum 'all-in' threshold.

 

Assuming this is the 4* USE - Nob Hill hotel (confirm your dates on the landing page) you're seeing for $158 with:

Pets Allowed

Business Center

Restaurant

Fitness Center

No Smoking Rooms/Facilities

==> best guess for this property would be The Westin St. Francis San Francisco On Union Square

 

I wouldn't necessarily change hotels to save $10/nite as staying 'downtown' would also give you the ability to 'go out on the town' your last nite in the city... certainly more fun then an airport hotel.

 

Nobody can say if rates will come down, or move higher between, between now and your trip, but if the above is within your budget i would see how well the property guessed works for your plans this trip and if this is a good enough deal to make locking it in now worthwhile (assuming our guess is correct this hotel is selling for $251/nite for your dates).  Of course you could try bidding to save a little more, but given some hotel(s) in this area charge a resort fee, you're greatly limiting your options (and need to bid substantially lower to account for the potential resort fee vs. a PRICELINE EXPRESS that does not show a resort fee) that i would focus on the savings this hotel would represent and if nearly $100/nite savings is worth locking it in now, rather than if you could potentially squeeze an extra $5-$10 from the deal (since while you wait rates could move the other way and/or this current PRICELINE EXPRESS could be replaced with something that is not as well reviewed, not as well located for your plans, or that charges a resort fee)

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

 

Let us know whatever you decide for this trip or how we can be of further help.

[coachnorm22]

Thank you so much for this thorough response to my inquiry.  I agree with your assessment of the probable hotel.  The airport option may be better for us, because our last night will be spent at a baseball game in Oakland.  As a couple of grumpy old men, we'd probably just turn in after returning to the hotel.  I can get reasonable accommodations in the SFO zone for about $110, so my estimated savings is about $70...almost enough for two ballpark beers.  Is there a rule of thumb in trying to undercut Priceline Express?  Also, would the Financial District be a nicer area than Union Square East?  Thanks much!  CoachNorm

[thereuare]

14 minutes ago, coachnorm22 said:

$70...almost enough for two ballpark beers.

Nice!

 

There is no rule of thumb for under-cutting PRICELINE EXPRESS, but if you let us know the star rating, zones you're willing to accept, and maximum bid, we will suggest a strategy for you to follow.

 

I don't know about the Financial District being 'nicer' than USE (probably has more to do with the actual hotel received than the area itself), but generally the Union Square East zone is bid more frequently for the convenience of the 'city' factor... the Financial zone is usually looked at for when rates are very high and looking for an alternative to the high 'downtown' prices.  Financial is certainly do-able, but it's generally a second choice to the more convenient USE zone.

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we will advise accordingly.

[coachnorm22]

Sorry for the poor choice of words..."nicer" ugh!  You answered the question I was really asking.  Thanks for the insight.

[thereuare]

Nothing wrong with the word choice... i think i understood what you meant and was able to answer the question, which was the ultimately objective for both of us.

 

Let us know what you ultimately decide or how we can be of further help with this PRICELINE purchase.

Good luck!

 

 

[coachnorm22]

Got a little creative and I am very pleased with the results on Priceline Express.

 

8/20-8/21 Airport Hyatt Regency for $113

8/21-8/23 Sir Francis Drake, Kimpton  (Union Square East) for $140

 

Best wishes and thank you for your kind attention to my questions.

Coachnorm

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success(es)!

Glad to see that you found a way to make this work within your budget and that you're pleased with the outcome... we're happy to have helped.

 

We have edited the topic title of this thread to reflect your Union Square East purchase of The Drake, can you please start a NEW TOPIC on the board to reflect your Hyatt Regency Airport win so that other will be aware of that win as well when searching the topic titles on the board and in the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins.  Also, for each thread (this and your newly created on for the Hyatt) can you please include, if you recall, the amenities that PRICELINE EXPRESS associated with the hotel and showed prior to your purchase.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Enjoy your stay(s) and have a great time in San Francisco.

[coachnorm22]

The amenities listed for the Drake were:  pet friendly, business center, restaurant, non-smoking.   Bed choice available, with a 7/10 guest rating.

 

Coachnorm

[thereuare]

Thanks for the follow-up! (and for the additional post for your Priceline Express San Francisco hotel purchase)

 

Have a great trip and enjoy the time spent with your brother.